Partners
by Baxter54132
Summary: "Under the new rule, both tributes from the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive." In district 2, you are assigned a partner when you turn 14. Aren't Cato and Clove lucky they got each other? Clato One-shot


I am a huge Hunger Games fan, and I love the aspect of Cato and Clove. Since they are careers, there is a chance they know each other from before the games. I believe this twist would have an even greater impact of them than it had on Peeta and Katniss.

I haven't written for the Hunger Games before, and I hope you guys enjoy this.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hunger Games or any of the characters.

* * *

In district 2, potential tributes are partnered up when they turn 14. They then spend the next four years doing intense training with their partner in order to prepare them to enter the games together. When they turn 18 they enter a tournament, and the winners of the tournament enter the games.

When Cato and Clove first meet, they immediately get off to a rocky start. Clove has worked in quiet solitude her whole life and is not pleased to be, as she called it, 'tied down to' a cocky sword swinger. Cato is just as irritated, mostly with the fact that Clove refuses to give in to his charm. He would smirk down at the small teen which would be returned with a quiet threat to stick a knife where a knife should never be.

And so the relationship between the swordsman and the knife thrower began. They spend their first few years almost completely ignoring each other; Clove would throw her swords on one side of their training room while Cato slashed at dummies on the reverse end. Every once in a while Cato would cross the room with a mischievous glint in his eyes, but he would quickly retreat when a knife strayed too close to his perfectly unmarred face.

In the flash of an eye the pair is 17, and the trainers start to pay closer attention to their dream pairing. One day Clove finds herself pulled aside and is told she needs to learn to work closely together with Cato if they wish to enter the Hunger Games. Clove reluctantly agrees it would increase her chances and shocks Cato one morning by offering to teach him the art of knife throwing.

Cato accepts with a smooth smile, but holds back one of his usual sly comments. The two now only have one year until their tournament to enter the games, and Clove tries her best to be open and accepting of the tall blonde's many flaws.

Cato soon learned he is completely incapable of throwing knives, so he quickly suggests they move on to practicing swordplay. When Clove tries to refuse, he points out that swords will most likely be available in the Hunger Games and she should be more versatile.

Clove hates to admit that she has a weakness, and the weight of the sword in her grip is a constant reminder. Day after day she exchanges blows with Cato, with his nagging voice constantly reminding her why she never wanted to learn this craft. Sometimes she convinces Cato to throw knives with her, anything to get away from the swords.

During this time, the two have a growing respect for each other, but both would deny it if asked.

Cato can feel himself becoming more attached to the stubborn knife throwing girl. He begins to relish her quirky responses to his constant teasing, the way she grins slightly if she successfully blocks one of his sword's many strokes. He begins to feel slight pulses of anger if he ever sees Clove speaking with other male tributes, but has to hold himself back. "You are just going to have to kill her," he tells himself. "Don't get too attached," he hopelessly tries to convince himself, but can't deny his flourishing feelings.

Clove doesn't miss his jealous glare from across the training hall. After a moment she dismisses it without wasting another thought on her training partner. He has nothing to be jealous of. She bites back a scoff as she forces the teen out of her head. Ever since they started training she has had a slight interest in the blonde and finding out that he isn't as much of a jerk as he first seemed to be only strengthens her feelings. She watches him shake his head and say something to herself, and is reminded of their impending future together, a fight to the death where only one person survives, and it will be her.

* * *

The two easily win their tournament when the time comes and enter the games together. They run into some troubles during training week. All throughout the past year their relationship has become very strong, and the two are in sync almost perfectly with one another.

Both mentors recommend breaking off their personal relationship with one another, and Cato and Clove reluctantly spend less time together down on the training floor. However, once they are alone on the second floor of the building, they are inseparable.

It is at this time that Cato finds himself lounging on the couch, Clove resting in the chair beside him.

They are both silent, and Clove clears her throat awkwardly. "I'll talk I guess, I don't think we should be friends while we are inside the games."

Cato glances over, shocked. "What? I know we are district 2 tributes and everything, but we are allowed to be friends."

Clove looks down at her hands, feeling a wave of nausea wash through her body, "We don't want to appear weak to the other tributes."

Cato stands up from the couch, his eyebrows furrowing together as he looks down at his training partner. "Fine…"

* * *

Soon the games have begun, and Clove and Cato team up with the other careers but are careful to avoid being alone together. Tributes from district 2 aren't allowed to show emotion, and surely the two of them speaking alone would create a flurry of emotions once they are tired and drained from staying in these dangerous woods.

Clove can't help but feel a pang of regret when she sees Glimmer hanging off Cato's arm, but she knows she can't allow herself to become more attached to the person she is beginning to wish wasn't inside these games with her.

Little does she know Cato is silently wincing as Glimmer giggles into his ear, wishing a calmer, more wickedly intelligent girl were hanging off his arm in her place. He glances over at Clove but she looks away, taking her mixed feelings out on an innocent lizard.

* * *

With Glimmer and Marvel dead, Clove can feel the strain on her relationship with Cato. They are the only two careers left, and they know each other all too well to let their guard down around each other even for a second. It is sometime in the middle of the night, and the two older teens are having trouble sleeping.

Cato goes to gather some firewood, leaving Clove to her thoughts. She grabs a stick and pokes the fire, letting her mind drift. Naturally she starts thinking about the blonde who has always seemed to be wherever he isn't supposed to be. Clove pulls out one of her knives and rolls it over in her palm; knives have always been a comfort for her. "Why does this have to be so complicated?"

"Why does what have to be so complicated?" Cato has returned; and his gaze is questioning as he drops his recently gathered wood next to the fire.

Clove stands up slowly, narrowing her eyes. She glances up at Cato, not wanting to give away her inner thoughts. "It's nothing."

Cato crosses his arms, not convinced. He makes eye contact with the shorter teen, his eyes softening when he remembers all of the training they went through together to get to this point. "What is it Clove? It's early in the morning; I don't think the cameras are watching us right now."

Clove scoffs, "they are always watching us…" Clove trails off, sitting back down next to the fire.

Cato sits as well, scooting closer to get a share of the heat radiating off the fire. "You can tell me."

Clove draws her knees up to her chest, hugging them to her body. "I don't like to talk about myself."

Cato sighs, leaning back as Clove's response doesn't surprise him. "Okay… Well I guess I can tell you how I'm feeling them. My trainer told me that talking about my feelings would help me focus on the rest of the game."

Cato slides closer to Clove, throwing one arm around her shoulder casually.

Clove almost shrugs him off, but pauses when she feels his hot breath on her ear as he begins to whisper, "I know we are from district 2 and everything… but what if you and I made it to the end, and then refused to kill each other?"

Clove's eyes widen as she absorbs Cato's words, because of course he had voiced the same thoughts running through her head at that very moment. She turns her head slowly so she is looking right into Cato's eyes once again. "I don't think they would like that."

A deep chuckle rumbles in Cato's chest, "I don't care if they like it or not." Cato leans down, kissing Clove in such a gentle way that doesn't seem possible or someone of his size or strength. "Screw them, it's you and me Clove."

"We didn't do a very good job not being friends," Clove jokes weakly.

Cato smiles warmly, for once forgetting about the horrors that await him and the other remaining tributes.

* * *

"Under the new rule, both tributes from the same district will be declared winners if they are the last two alive." Claudius Templesmith's voice echoes through the arena and both Cato and Clove freeze at the news.

Cato shoots Clove a huge grin, raising one eye brow as she smiles back at him, feeling somewhat like a lovesick school girl.

Cato swoops in to capture Clove in a huge hug, unable to keep his happiness locked away. "You and me Clove, let's go home together."

Clove nods, and the two walk hand in hand, towards their destiny.

* * *

I could see things working out this way.

Well let me know what you think, did you like it, did you think they were in character?


End file.
